My Marketing Placement with Circomedia

By Stella Hammersley

From January to March 2025, Stella Hammersley interned with us as part of her Professional Development scheme with the University of Bristol. Stella is currently in her third and final year as a Theatre and Performance Studies student, hoping to go on to study a Marketing master’s next year. During her time with us, she acted as a marketing assistant to help support Circomedia’s ever busy marketing team, and create promotional material for the company.

To read more about her experience with us, see her blog post below:

Interning at Circomedia, as part of my professional development scheme with the University of Bristol, was a unique experience that allowed me to immerse myself in the dynamic and creative world of the arts while gaining hands-on marketing experience. As a marketing assistant, I had the chance to collaborate with the talented Circomedia team and work on a variety of exciting projects. From using industry-leading software to honing my photography skills, this placement provided me with valuable lessons in digital marketing, content creation, and the world of live circus performance. This experience has also equipped me with valuable workplace skills and significantly boosted my confidence as I prepare to apply for a master’s degree in marketing.

I had the opportunity to work with a powerful email marketing and automation tool, Dot Digital, which plays a crucial role in the marketing campaigns for Circomedia’s events and performances. I learnt to create and manage email campaigns, track engagement, and improve overall communication with the school’s community. In using this intricate tool, I gained insights into the importance of segmentation, personalisation, and analytics in email marketing. Crafting email newsletters that informed potential attendees about upcoming shows and events was a rewarding process, and I quickly realised how much impact well-designed, targeted campaigns can have on an audience.

I was also able to practice and refine my photography skills, an aspect of the placement that was unexpected but was a highlight of my time at Circomedia. I learnt to take headshots for the performers, providing them with professional-quality images to use as they advance in their careers. Coming from a creative background, it was a strange but genuine pleasure to be on the other side of the camera and help contribute to this aspect of their professional journeys.

Another key responsibility during my placement was listing upcoming shows and events on several different websites. This process opened me up to a new technique in encouraging community engagement. Working on the website listings taught me the importance of clear communication and attention to detail. It was a rewarding experience to know that my work played a part in making the company’s performances accessible to a wider audience.

During my placement, I helped the marketing team gather and create content for Circomedia’s TikTok and Instagram accounts. This involved using to Canva to compose story content and filming short, engaging clips from rehearsals, behind-the-scenes moments, all designed to pique the interest of followers and encourage them to attend shows. In doing this I was able to interact with the students which helped me gain insights into their creative processes, enriching the content with authenticity and better tailoring it to engage our audience.

Interning at Circomedia was an incredibly enriching experience. Not only did I gain practical marketing skills, but I also got to witness the amazing talent and creativity that go into making the circus and physical theatre performances come to life. Being able to also attend some of the shows that I was marketing, was a real treat where I was able to see how my work was supporting local, talented artists. From learning how to use Dot Digital for email marketing to creating dynamic social media content, I developed a broad range of skills that will undoubtedly shape my future career.

What made this placement even more special was the opportunity to work in an environment that celebrates creativity, collaboration, and artistry. Circomedia pulls together a community of passionate individuals who are dedicated to pushing boundaries and inspiring others, and I will always be grateful for this experience and being able to help promote this.